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Post by Rodimus Prime on May 31, 2010 22:26:46 GMT -5
OOC: Day 7. Night. Emirate Xaaron and Rodimus Prime's quarters on board the Event Horizon. Private thread.
Even giant robots need to sleep.
Actually, this isn't quite true. What Transformers do isn't quite sleep. And it isn't normally 'recharge', either, unless they've been plugged into a wall or are in a genuine recharging berth (Transformers can't just generate their own energy from nothing by shutting down, after all), though sometimes casual speech calls it that.
For those from Rodimus Prime'sl universe, downtime serves two purposes. One, while they don't actually recharge, by going into a shut-down mode, they can conserve the charge they do have for longer. This is fairly important for an energy-hungry mechanical species. And second, like any computer, Transformers need occasional defragmentation periods so that their minds can sort through the impressions, thoughts, feelings, and memories formed during the day.
So actually, giant robots do sleep, after all.
The defragmentation process is what leads to dreams, for those times when robots dream of electric sheep. Or one's friends coming back as zombies to condemn one.
Rodimus Prime would love to have dreams like that. Ratchet had it easy. Rodimus Prime's dreams are haunted by visions of planets crumbling to dust beneath his own fingers, of worlds in realities his-but-not-his aflame with his-but-not-his own madness and power-lust.
He sleeps restlessly. Usually, he keeps his tossing and turning to a minimum, though the observant might notice that he tends to get by on the bare-minimum amount of sleep needed (and his roommate is very observant).
Pz-Zazz makes it worse.
There is something wrong, something... sick about Pz-Zazz. It's not rotting from the outside towards the core, it's something that starts deeper than the population level and spreads out. Since Rodimus has come to Pz-Zazz, he's remarked from time to time that he hates that planet, but it's not quite true. He hates what's wrong with Pz-Zazz, and more, he hates that he can't do anything for it.
In his dreams, it calls to him, it begs him to heal it, to help it live, and still he's helpless to do anything.
In his sleep, on his plane, non-recharging berth, Rodimus turns over roughly onto his back and without waking, calls out, "How can I help you?! TELL ME!!"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on May 31, 2010 22:40:34 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron is a very light 'sleeper', and when he awakens, he awakens quickly and completely. He may be irritable, but very seldom is he actually groggy. Comes from a very long lifetime of avoiding assassination attempts
He's certainly noticed that Rodimus Prime doesn't rest much, and more, he's noticed that rest isn't very restful. Emirate Xaaron didn't expect that it would be. The child is cursed, and the child's curse had made a canary of the old codger. Simply put, if either or both of the inmates in Rodimus Prime's chest are about to break out, Emirate Xaaron is the first person who would notice. This is a duty only he can do, but even if it wasn't, he would do it anyway. If Emirate Xaaron won't do this duty, how can he ask anything of his troops?
So, light sleeper that he is, he awakens at the call, and he stares over at Rodimus Prime. Sighing softly, he heaves himself off his own berth, joints creaking in protest, and he walks quietly over closer toward Rodimus Prime. Emirate Xaaron reaches out and tries to lightly lay the back of his hand on Rodimus Prime's forehead, like a parent checking a child for a fever, though what he's looking for is much, much worse.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 1, 2010 7:33:46 GMT -5
Rodimus Prime is a fitful sleeper, which doesn't necessarily mean deep.
His optics flicker into life as Xaaron's hand is placed on his forehead, and for a moment, he blinks up in confusion at the golden robot.
Rodimus Prime now knows that his boss touches him in his sleep. D:
He seems to take the news well enough, for after a moment of breif confusion, he just quirks the right corner of his lip up in a faint, smirky grin and says, "Hey, boss. What's up?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 1, 2010 10:14:18 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron draws back his hand, as if he's been burned, and he takes a step back, holding his wrist and looking Rodimus Prime over pensively. He certainly doesn't want to introduce any more doubt into Rodimus Prime's mind - he gets the impression there's more than enough in there already. What is with Primes? At least this one won't suicide over video games.
However, Rodimus Prime knows why Emirate Xaaron is his room-mate. He deserves an explanation, and if he doesn't get one, that could cause doubt, too.
Emirate Xaaron sighs, gestures, and explains, "Just checking to make sure that you aren't going to sprout horns, fangs, and wings on us." He adds, after a moment, "You were calling out during defragmentation."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 1, 2010 11:20:19 GMT -5
"I was?" he asks. He shifts to lay on his side, propping himself up with one elbow. "Dammit, sorry about that." He shakes his head. "Naw, no horns or fangs. Probably wouldn't be a good idea for me to fall asleep in one of those Unicronian temples, but I really wouldn't recommend that for anyone."
He settles himself back down on the berth, laying again on his back and putting his arms behind his head as he looks up at the ceiling, optics narrowing as he tries to peer through the haze of sleep to bring back what had been disturbing him this time. "I think... I think this time it wasn't any of the usual. Pz-Zazz..." He shakes his head. "I'm not sure if it wants something out of me, or just generally wants something, or if there's something else that I'm misreading as want." He shrugs, then barks a laugh. "Probably one of the second two."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 1, 2010 13:10:59 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron winces as Rodimus Prime mentions the Unicronian temple. He still doesn't feel well, but he's better on the ship than he was on the ground. "Yes... those. I should discuss those with you and Botanica, I think."
He shakes his head and confirms, "Something like, 'How can I help you? Tell me,' but louder." He crosses his arms at the mention of 'the usual', and he tilts his head and observes, "You never rest very well, do you?"
Understandable, but a liability, all the same. It'll wear a mechanism down before his time... not that Emirate Xaaron can talk. He's the one who went without transforming so long that Perceptor had to sort Emirate Xaaron out before his transform cog killed him.
"Don't be sorry. It's not-" -Rodimus Prime's fault? It kind of is, actually- "-something under your control. Is there anything I can do, do you think? But as for Pz-Zazz, the best thing for the planet would be to get the Decepticons off it." His expression is grumpy, and he rubs his temples.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 1, 2010 14:02:19 GMT -5
Rodimus Prime is doomed to wear down before his time, anyway. That is just his lot.
"Ah, definitely Pz-Zazz, then," he answers when Emirate Xaaron explains what he'd been shouting. He studies the ceiling, not looking at the Autobot Commander as he shakes his head. "And... not really, although believe it or not, it's better than it used to be. It was... pretty rough in the first while after... after he turned my body... after I forced him back down. Didn't dare let anyone near me." He smiles grimly. "It's just the combination of things that has me worse than normal. No danger of me slipping, but... man," he grins, amused, "as soon as someone develops a waking defragmentation method, I will be all over that."
He shrugs, hands still behind his head. "I... can't really think of anything you can do that you're not already. You were right to wake me up. I get too bad, just do that again." Then he turns his head to look at Emirate Xaaron. "But... you're wrong about Pz-Zazz. Maybe that's the best thing we can do for it, but it's not the best thing for the planet in general." He sighs and looks wistful. "Don't know exactly what the best thing is, but getting the 'Cons away... that'll leave it just as sick as it was when we got here. We haven't done anything compared to that."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 1, 2010 14:30:48 GMT -5
But to ever strive against entropy is also the lot of anything that has ever lived and especially Primus's children. Especially these two children.
Emirate Xaaron muses, "Ah, I suspect no soft music," like Winterborn would ever be soothing, even if played softly, "and no bed time stories," for all that this is Kup's ward, here, "would help allay, then."
Despite the flippant comment, he looks concerned when Rodimus Prime mentions a waking defragmentation method. Oh, like that doesn't smack of Decepticons mind control plots seven ways to sundown! That's not healthy!
But the thought tempts him, too, he has to admit.
"I'll keep waking you up in mind, then. I just wish that I could do something more for you, you know?" He sighs and shakes his head, taking a step closer, and trying to lightly lay a hand on Rodimus Prime's lower arm. Doesn't matter to him if it'll make him sick; he's already sick. What's more?
"Hmm. Sick planets. I wonder." Emirate Xaaron looks thoughtful and gazes off at something beyond Rodimus Prime, though thinking of someone that looks very much like him. "You've travelled much more in space than I. Are sick planets... common?"
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 1, 2010 19:43:41 GMT -5
What about Glory to the Brave?
The young Prime grins. "Sorry, no, I don't think those will do much good." Then he shrugs. "And... well, if I think of something, I'll let you know." He looks down at Emirate Xaaron as the other touches his arm. The touch... feels nice, really. Like an... like an untainted bit of Matrix, actually, only fainter. "That... kind of helps, actually," he admits.
At Emirate Xaaron's question, he shakes his head. "Not like this. And... Gillanan wasn't this bad. This is like... nothing I've ever seen before."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 1, 2010 21:44:44 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron singing Glory to the Brave as a lullaby to the Matrix Bearer? Erm.
Figures. Touching Rodimus Prime makes Emirate Xaaron feel ill, but it makes Rodimus Prime feel better.
Maybe that lullaby really is the better idea.
But he offers, genuinely, "Want me to sit with you for a while, until you're settled?" Stupid self-sacrifice syndrome, also known as SSSS or S4, afflicts most Autobot leaders.
"I'm just thinking. Our Cybertron only has a lifeforce of its own because Primus possessed an asteroid, correct? So what does this mean for Pz-Zazz?"
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 1, 2010 23:17:02 GMT -5
"Naw, I'm settled," Rodimus says, a bit sleepily.
He's not entirely being honest, but yo. Stupid Self-Sacrifice Syndrome.
He hmmms softly as he considers that. "i don't... I mean, I've never heard of other planets being, well, possessed. Don't most organics come about by evolution or something?" Then Rodimus hesitates, shifting his position again slightly.
"Of course, we used to think we came about through evolution, too, so I'm not sure."
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 2, 2010 15:42:34 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron holds his hand on Rodimus Prime just a bit longer, looking him squintily in the optics, as if asking, Are you sure?
"That was the prevailing theory back at the Academy, but that was a very long time ago. I'd have to ask Perceptor what modern science is saying about organic life, these days," he muses. "But there's no reason it couldn't be... both on some planets, eh? Perhaps Pz-Zazz also has a divine lifeforce of its own, like Cybertron, even if the native species are organic. Certainly, Nightbeat's reports on the subject during the Matrix Quest would suggest as much."
Emirate Xaaron rubs his chin. "Ah, but that never happened in your timeline."
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 2, 2010 19:43:03 GMT -5
Rodimus gives Emirate Xaaron a nod of confirmation. He's sure.
His optics brighten as Emirate Xaaron mentions the Matrix Quest reports. "No, no it didn't. We recovered the Matrix without incident." He pauses. "You didn't detail much about the Matrix Quest in your universe summary. Can you teell me about these reports?"
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Post by Emirate Xaaron on Jun 2, 2010 21:07:06 GMT -5
Emirate Xaaron withdraws back to his own recharge berth, to sit just on the edge of it. So it seems he will be telling Rodimus Prime a bed-time story, after all!
He rubs the back of his helmet, and he admits, "They might actually explain a thing or two about your own Matrix."
Then, Emirate Xaaron settles himself with his hands on his knees, relaxed, to tell the tale proper. "The Matrix was lost in space, after Optimus Prime's body was cast adrift. The first team looked for it on Pz-Zazz, this planet where we find ourselves now. Nightbeat could tell more about it, but he's been scare." Emirate Xaaron snorts. It just figures, doesn't it? "Probably a dame to blame somewhere, he'd say. Pz-Zazz was a decaying world, like this one, though perhaps not so bad, which was odd, because our records suggested that it was quite a pleasant place. Nightbeat, Siren, and Hosehead didn't find the Matrix there. Instead, the locals were all squabbling over the statue of a bird. It was rumoured to grant life everlasting or even raise the dead. Once set into its altar, the crumbling planet was renewed, and only certain people could remove it from the altar; otherwise, it wouldn't budge."
"So, offhand, I'd conjecture said bird statue is probably missing on this Pz-Zazz."
"But this isn't really making the point I wanted about your Matrix."
Emirate Xaaron gives Rodimus Prime time to interject now.
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Post by Rodimus Prime on Jun 3, 2010 10:45:34 GMT -5
Rodimus frowns and thinks. "Y'know, I remember seeing a lot of bird imagry down there. Graffiti, jewelry, that sort of thing. But I don't remember hearing anything about a bird statue. Not that it was missing, just... I don't think I've heard anything about it."
He shifts to lay back on his back and once more puts his hands beneath his head to look up at the ceiling. "Not that I've been asking about it, but maybe I should start. What was that you were saying about the Matrix, though?"
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